Blood Lollipops
by Amaryllis09
Summary: James and Lilly's first date. Enough said. Bit fluffy, some humor.


A/N: This is my first HP fanfiction. We'll see how it goes. It's a oneshot. I don't know where I'm going with this, but there will be frogs, a green armchair, and blood lollipops. It takes place during the spring of James and Lily's seventh year, the year they got together.

Comment of the Week:

"You're snarky _and_ sarcastic!"  
"Snarkastic, that's what they call it." – L and K, two of my friends.

Disclaimer: If it says disclaimer, it's pretty self-explanatory.

* * *

"Hey, Evans!" James Potter called from across the Great Hall. Lily ignored him.

"Evans! Go with me to Hogsmeade?" James called. Lily pointedly turned the other way.

"Oh come on Lily, we all know you like him!" her friend Molly poked her and giggled. "Besides, it's spring. Love is in the air!" She giggled some more.

Lily couldn't do this. She just couldn't. James Potter and his gang of friends had been bothering her for seven years now, ever since they had all started Hogwarts together. Every year, every week really, Potter had asked her out unfailingly. He had pulled some interesting stunts over the years, including one where he got kicked out of the library by Madame Pince. Permanently.

Regardless, she had turned him down (albeit unkindly) every time. Potter was a jerk to Snape, her former best friend, and his head was alarmingly disproportionate to the rest of his body – much too big. She had decided long ago that she would never ever, EVER be caught going out with that _thing_. So why did she smile ever so slightly when he asked her out?

"Potter, get over here!" Molly called out. Lily blushed furiously.

"What is it?" Potter jogged over, ruffling up his hair.

"She'll go with you." Molly smiled sweetly at him. She thought he was handsome, perfect for Lily's uptight temper and high stress levels.

"...Well Evans, never thought you'd say yes. I'll meet you in the entrance hall at nine then shall I?"

In response, Lily left the hall.

* * *

James Potter had been asking Lily Evans out for Six and a half years. Not once had she said yes. Not even when he had cut out and pasted hearts all over Lily's favorite section of the library – a stunt that had sent Madame Pince into a flying rage and gotten him permanently kicked out of that area of the school. So it was understandable that when Molly had said yes for her, James was slightly taken aback.

Did this mean Lily liked him? That would certainly complicate things.

James didn't actually like Lily. Not that way. Sure, he had liked her a lot in their first year at school, but after she had turned him down when he asked her out several times, he had decided to give up on her. By their third year, it had become customary of their rivalry for him to ask her out and for her to turn him down. There was nothing more to it for him.

So for her to actually _like_ him, well, he might be a little arrogant, but he wasn't cruel. Asking her out was a game they played, actually going out would be leading her on.

He sighed. Girls were nothing but trouble.

* * *

Lily was going to jinx Molly to high Hell. What had she been thinking, answering yes to Potter? She couldn't go out with him, it was just wrong!

When she voiced this to Molly, Molly just shrugged. "Lily, why can't you just admit you like him and stop smoldering? You look as though you've taken a pepper-up potion from Madame Pomfrey for goodness sakes. Besides, one date doesn't mean you're together."

So at nine o'clock the next morning, Lily found herself in the entrance hall with all of the other students who were lining up to go to Hogsmeade, hoping against hope that James Potter had stood her up and she wouldn't have to go through with it.

"Hey Evans." Lily jumped. "You ready to go?"

Was he being…chivalrous? Lily walked next to him in the line, feigning nonchalance.

When the ancient Filch had checked them off, they headed outside onto the drive. It was a warm spring day and both soon had their cloaks off and slung over their arms.

Silence.

More silence.

Finally, Lily couldn't stand it any longer. "Potter," she asked, "where do you want to go when we get to Hogsmeade?"

"How about the sweet shop?"

"That's fine."

More silence.

After a few more minutes they reached the village. Honeydukes was situated at the hub of everything, only a few doors down from the Three Broomsticks, a pub owned by the father of Rosmerta Redding, a fourth-year girl in Ravenclaw.

Inside, it was busy. James caught Lily's wrist to keep them from being separated. Lily had expected whispers, but everyone was too busy to notice that James Potter and Lily Evans were walking into Honeydukes together.

"Hey Evans, want a lollipop?" James asked, holding out a red one. Lily took it cautiously and sniffed it.

"Ugh, not a blood-flavored one! Take it back!" She thrust the lollipop back at James.

James smiled and put the lollipop back. Maybe this could be a little fun after all. He had expected three hours of utter boredom, surrounded by stares and odd looks form the rest of the Gryffindors. Thank goodness Remus, Sirius, and Peter had opted to go off by themselves.

After about an hour of offering Lily various candies, James suggested they leave the shop, but not before Lily had gotten her revenge by stuffing trout-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans in his mouth.

They wandered around down, visiting the post office, the Shrieking Shack, and passing Madame Puddifoot's café. James was eternally thankful Lily did not suggest they go in, he didn't think he could bear the romantic perfume in the air and the snogging couples.

Eventually, they ended up in the Three Broomsticks. After grabbing two butterbeers, James sat down at a table in the corner. It was a cozy place, but not in the least romantic like Madame Puddifoots, with her spring green armchairs and tiny tables…

"So Potter," Lily sipped her butterbeer. The entire time she had been with James, her dialogue had been flustered, her sharp retorts nonexistent and her cheeks various shades of pink.

"So…what?" James replied. Something under the table kicked him. He kicked Lily, assuming it was her.

"What should we talk about?" Lily asked, kicking him back.

"Well, we could discuss the essay Professor Slughorn assigned us…" James grinned mischeviously.

"That's boring."

"Lily Evans, not wanting to discuss schoolwork! The apocalypse must be coming!" Lily kicked him.

James suddenly got an evil grin on his face, "How about a kiss Evans?"

Well, that came out of nowhere.

"No."

"Aww, why not?" Even on a date, it was still so easy to tease Lily Evans.

"Because Potter, I said so!"

"Thant's not a good reason," James pouted.

"Who says I need a reason?" Lily asked icily, slamming her butterbeer bottle on the table. "You know James, I can't believe this, we haven't even argued for a whole hour and then you pull something like _this_ out of God-doesn't-even-_want_-to-know-where. You know, I don't even know why I did this, I don't know what convinced me that maybe this time would be different, that maybe you'd finally deflated that overstuffed head of yours!"

"Lily…"

"I don't want to hear it Potter! I don't even know why I've liked you all these years, you're just so…so…" Words finally seemed to sink in to Lily. She turned beet red, opened her mouth, shut it, and then ran out of the pub, slamming the door behind her. Everyone was able to hear the bells tinkle. They all turned to stare at James.

"Well, I'll just be going after her then," James stood up, left some money on the table, and strode out of the bar, lacking the usual spring in his step.

Lily had never yelled at him like that before. She had yelled when he put frogs in her trunk, when he had "accidently" allowed his owl to eat her History of Magic essay, and nine times out of ten, she would yell at him when he asked her out. But she had never truly lost her temper and let her words get away from her.

She hadn't gotten far by the time James found her. She was sitting on a rock. Her face was in her hands.

"Hey, um, Evans," James stood over her awkwardly.

"Yeah?" Lily refused to look at him.

"You know I was only joking right? You don't actually have to kiss me."

Lily didn't answer.

There was a long silence. Neither moved. James could hear her breathing. Loudly, and raggedly.

"…I wasn't lying Potter."

"What do you mean?" James asked, even though he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"When I said…all that stuff back there. You know…"

"About my head being too big?"

"No, you bloody idiot! IsaidIlikedyou!"

"Sorry, didn't catch that."

"I said, oh to hell with it!" Lily decided. She had already embarrassed herself enough today, a little more couldn't hurt. Besides, there was no one around. She stood up and looked him square in the eye.

"I said I like you Potter."

There was a long silence. Lily felt half relieved, half mortified. How could she admit that to Potter, when she denied it to herself? She didn't like him! This was absurd!

But it didn't feel that way when James kissed her.

James was confused. Why had his lips suddenly met Lily's? She had turned him down for years, he didn't even _like_ her anymore.

When he kissed her though, it reminded him of all the reasons he had started to like her back when he was eleven. She was witty, smart, knew exactly what to say, except when she didn't, and most of all, she could take his humor. Feelings he had dismissed for years returned to him. He liked her. He had for years, for always.

"Haha!" Someone let out a triumphant whoop behind them. James and Lily broke apart instantly, but it was too late, they had been spotted.

Except there was no one there. No one behind the rock, no one coming down the street, no one at all Lily could see.

"PADFOOT!" James bellowed. "MOONY! WORMTAIL! GET OUT HERE AND STOP SPYING!"

They emerged with a whoosh out of thin air, all wearing a silvery cloak.

"Haha, Moony, did you see it! Did you see it!" Sirius was far too happy. James decked him.

"Well done Prongs." Lupin said, shaking his head. We knew you'd come around eventually. And you too, Evans."

"Hmph, you shouldn't have spied," James grouched.

"Oh, lighten up!" Sirius said cheerfully. "We didn't mean any harm!"

"Padfoot, I think it's time we left the lovebirds alone." Lupin muttered to Sirius.

Sirius gave a cheery wave. "See you two later!"

"Well Evans, is my head still too inflated?"

"Yes, but I think with time the swelling will go down." Lily smiled.

* * *

When they got back to the common room after dinner, the whole house was assembled. They all clapped when Lily and James came through the portrait hole, hands almost touching.

"Oh, shut up," they said together.

But their hands were still touching.

* * *

A/N2: This is totally going to get flamed, oh well, I'm going to post it.


End file.
